Looking to build a first guitar with no experience....saw STEWMAC.

Triaxis75

Triaxis75

Inspired
So, how this came about is that I want to finally buy a Tele for the tone and set up. I've had to switch gears from Alex Skolnick to Brad Paisley for my current endeavors. Looking at prices, Fender is fairly proud of their product when it comes to cash. I stumbled across Stewmac from some random pre-video ad while watching YT. Bored, I went to the site to check it out (having some type of remedial luthier qualities is a good hook for sales). Site seems pretty decent and the involvement by people running the show seemed honest during initial perception. Has anyone gone this route for beginner type assembly with this company? As an end result, I would love to have a classic sounding Tele and be better experienced without ending up with high dollar fire-wood. The other end is...just pay the listed price from whichever dealer and hope it comes in without a bowed neck. I'm really new on this aspect but would like to at least try it.

I've gathered that the specific tools will be needed to expect any type of precision. I'm trying to avoid the pitfalls and explore the benefits.

To whoever responds, it's appreciated.
 
Stewmac is probably the leading luthiery supply company in the country. Their prices tend to run a bit high in a lot of cases, but they sell quality stuff. Another company with a good reputation (from what I've seen) is Philadelphia Luthier Tools & Supplies:

https://www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/

If you're just looking for a Tele kit, there are quite a few companies selling them. I don't have experience with any of them, but a bit of time on Google should turn up a bunch for you to check out.
 
If you want to end up with a decent home built guitar, you're going to need to learn a decent list of fundamentals as well as aquire tools (as stated). Do you do your own setups now? If no, I'd start there. Sometimes that can lead you into other skills that will be required for a build from parts project. Fret work, nuts desoldering/soldering, etc. Or you could learn by turning an inexpensive electric into whatever you want it to be. If all of the above doesn't sound like the funnest thing ever to you, you might want to just buy one.
 
What's you budget? You can get a good cheap lesser known brand one from less than $200, or a warmoth build for over 2000, or a used one on eBay

If you're building, it's a LOT of time and effort to spend (I also build guitars) as well as some technical know how and a learning curve, as well as good tools to not frustrate yourself or screw up your project. This is not to discourage you, as the process is very rewarding, but if you're just looking to try out a tele for cheap, either buy a used one, or a lesser known brand (most of which are better than the actual fenders these days) rather than go through the trouble to build.

Building is more rewarding and you get exactly what YOU want, but it's not something I recommend for a beginner just looking to see what a tele sounds like
 
Most of my builds with Warmoth and USA Custom Guitar(out of business now) ended up costing me about $1000 each when I added up all the parts and supplies cost. The hardest part is paint and finishing. Pickup wiring requires some soldering skills and ability to read simple circuit diagrams. There’s a place like Guitar Fetish that sells CNC for not too much money. I think they hired some of the workers from USA Custom but their nane escapes me now.
 
First time build I was SO proud of it. And a few years later I completely dismantled it and threw away the body because I HATED how primitive and poor it looked. If you're looking to build your dream guitar, DON'T make it your first build. Assembling a partscaster is fairly easy. Even cheap kits come with decent instructions. It's the painting and finishing that will take at least several guitar builds to get right. It wasn't until build no. 6 or was it 7 that I felt I had finally made something that could standup to a commercial build. So build some cheap Guitarfetish kits, or get some cheap guitars in poor condition that you can fix. Experiment with finishing techniques. And whatever you do, don't mix your paints! No oil based paints over acrylic or vice versa!
 
Budda said:
I dont see why buying a used mexi standard or player series tele (if it has to be a Fender) is out of the question?
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I totally agree with what you're saying, just wanted to attempt or contemplate a first build. Probably just going to 86 the idea.
 
Muad'zin said:
First time build I was SO proud of it. And a few years later I completely dismantled it and threw away the body because I HATED how primitive and poor it looked. If you're looking to build your dream guitar, DON'T make it your first build. Assembling a partscaster is fairly easy. Even cheap kits come with decent instructions. It's the painting and finishing that will take at least several guitar builds to get right. It wasn't until build no. 6 or was it 7 that I felt I had finally made something that could standup to a commercial build. So build some cheap Guitarfetish kits, or get some cheap guitars in poor condition that you can fix. Experiment with finishing techniques. And whatever you do, don't mix your paints! No oil based paints over acrylic or vice versa!
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I think I'm going to abandon the idea for now. I'll practice paint schematics on a 2x4 to bring me back to reality. In hind sight, I guess it was a silly idea. Money would probably be better spent on classes to learn more before attempting.
 
Triaxis75 said:
I've heard people swapping to a Warmoth neck for Kotzen Tele's because apparently they're so thick they grow leaves :laughing::laughing::laughing:
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The great thing about warmoth is the vast amount of options you have, including neck thickness nut width and scale length! So you can have an instrument exactly how YOU like it

Bear in mind that it comes at a price though, and you can rack a hefty bill quickly - and if you are looking to keep cost low as this is your first build, I'd quicker go with a kit.

Also if you're wondering why the warmoth website isn't working, they are down today (19th/20th) for a new website overhaul
 
Triaxis75 said:
I think I'm going to abandon the idea for now. I'll practice paint schematics on a 2x4 to bring me back to reality. In hind sight, I guess it was a silly idea. Money would probably be better spent on classes to learn more before attempting.
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The finishing and staining I consider to be the easier parts actually....anyone with a little woodworking knowledge or a good hand/eye can do a relatively good job.

The challenge is when things DON'T go right.....if your neck is not straight, what do you do? If your bridge pickup works in position 1 but not 2 do you know how to troubleshoot it? If you are getting buzzing when you plug in, what do you do? If you are fretting out in certain areas can you fix it?

A simple job like installing a nut can require a good hand, eye, good tools and if you screw it up (likely on your first attempt) you have to start over.

Not discouraging you, but after building and fixing so many guitars, I can tell you that the furthest thing to worry about is your finish - it doesn't affect playability, but there are a ton of other things that CAN put a spoke in your wheel and leave you frustrated

My advice? Get a used tele or cheap tele knockoff, and see how you like it. Get to know the tele quirks for a bit. If you think it's for you, then go get yourself whatever parts you want and build to your heart's content, taking your time and enjoying the ride! Its very rewarding! Don't let your first tele be your first guitar build you might end up being hating it! You said need a tele NOW, and want to see if it's for you - so try one out first before you go the long, scenic route....
 
Justincase said:
Proof that a warmoth build doesn't have to look pretty to be iconic.View attachment 85047
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But that's only because whoever built it became super famous. If VH had never hit it big people would come across a picture of that guitar and go poor guitar, that's sheer guitar abuse. Like this one.

20141031_194312.jpg

Triaxis75 said:
I think I'm going to abandon the idea for now. I'll practice paint schematics on a 2x4 to bring me back to reality. In hind sight, I guess it was a silly idea. Money would probably be better spent on classes to learn more before attempting.
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Don't give up. Because its not a silly idea. This is a fun hobby. It's just that like with any hobby there's a learning curve that can only be mastered with experience (actually doing it) or via a good teacher. Which is why starting with cheap kits and reworking busted old guitars is a good way to get started. And there's more online support to be had then you think.
 
Budda said:
I think it's a good idea for a second or third tele, but for a first I'd go with the known thing.
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That's the route I'm going. Going to throw a few bills on a new one (thinking Tele Luxe - I did a different post on it). I've got an old Charvette in the closet I'll screw around with. It looks like a prize fighter with a 0-20 record.
 
Justincase said:
Alot of guys do it like building cars...send the body out to paint at an automotive paint shop. Seen some REALLY cool stuff done that way.
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I did that on my first build. Well, I had too, I wanted a chrome paint job. Had to travel across half the country to get it painted. I do notice its starting to chip here and there. Although its at the front where my sweat has a nasty habit of landing.
 
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